Super League: Leeds Rhinos 18-10 Leigh Leopards

VaselineJune 21, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Super League: Leeds Rhinos 18-10 Leigh Leopards

image caption, Leeds had lost five of their last nine games going into Friday’s Super League meeting with Leigh

30 minutes ago

Try: Croft 2, Frawley Objectives: Martin 3

Try: Moylan, Ipape Objectives: Moylan

Leeds Rhinos began the post-Rohan Smith era by holding on for a well-earned Super League victory over Leigh Leopards.

The hosts led at half-time thanks to a pair of tries from Brodie Croft, with Leigh unable to reply.

Leeds withstood a strong start to the second half from Leigh before extending their lead further courtesy of Matt Frawley.

Matt Moylan finally got Leigh on the board and Edwin Ipape stepped in to set up a nervy finish for the Rhinos.

It was an emotional evening at Headingley for what was Leeds’ first home game since the death of Rob Burrow, who died aged 41 from motor neurone disease (MND).

The event also took place on Global MND Awareness Day.

Burrow’s former teammates gathered for a minute’s silence before the game, while fans formed an RB7 mosaic as the players entered the field and another minute’s applause was held in the seventh minute.

Video tributes were played before and after the game, with Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, and children forming an honor guard from the field.

Burrow’s name and number were also emblazoned on the pitch, while Leeds also wore a special blue and orange kit designed by Cath Muir, who was diagnosed with MND in 2014.

Part of the profits from every shirt sold will be donated to the Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to help build the Rob Burrow Center for MND.

image caption, Leeds Rhinos celebrated the life of Rob Burrow before and during their Super League match with Leigh Leopards

The Australian led the club to the grand final in his first few months in charge, but they missed out on the play-offs last season after finishing eighth.

This season has been just as disappointing, with the Rhinos seventh in the table ahead of Leigh’s visit.

Leeds went off the mark early on when Leigh’s Ed Chamberlain was adjudged to have brought in a high tackle, leading to a penalty for the hosts which they eventually worked to Croft, who touched down.

His first was well worked but his second was even better as he latched on to Ipape’s tiring pass to Tom Amone before running the length of the pitch to score.

Leigh came out of the blocks after the restart and dominated the opening 10 minutes, but Leeds went further in front of the game thanks to a succession of passes to open up the visitors’ defence, which led to Frawley sliding over for his third try. in the evening.

Moylan’s score came from a scrum deep in the Leeds half and Leigh wasted no time getting the ball to the wing for him to slot in, but he was unable to convert his own try, leaving his side with a deficit of 14 points.

Ipape’s score created nerves for the home supporters, but Rhinosy held on to give assistant coaches Chev Walker and Scott Grix victory in their first game in charge.

Leeds: Miller; Fusitu’a, Momirovski, McCormack, Edgell; Croft, Frawley; Oledzki, O’Connor, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin, Smith.

Exchanges: Eseh, Littlewood, Johnson, Goudemand.

Leigh: Moylan; Hanley, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley; Chamberlain, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Trout, O’Donnell, Halton, Hughes.

Exchanges: Norman, Davis, Dwyer, Pene.

VaselineJune 21, 2024

0 2 minutes read